Are you wondering where to go diving in Miyako Island, or how to choose a diving shop?
Miyako Island, renowned for its beautiful ocean, boasts over 60 diving shops, making it difficult to choose one due to the sheer volume of information available.

For those of you wondering whether you should choose a diving shop in Miyako Island, we'll share five secrets to ensure you have no regrets, along with a checklist of representative shops and the top recommendations from veteran instructors.

<Contents>
1. Basic information about diving in Miyako Island

2. Five secrets to choosing a shop that will never disappoint
2. The class size is small.
2. The levels are clearly divided.
2-3. The tour price should be clearly stated.
2-4. Have insurance and other provisions in place for emergency situations.
2-5. The shop's style matches your own style.

3. A thorough comparison of 15 popular shops in Miyako Island.

4. Diving spots in Miyako Island that you should know about

5. Instructor's Recommended Diving Spots
5-1. Cross Hole
5-2. Ichinose Hall
5-3. Panata
5-4. Nakanoshima Channel

1. Basic information about diving in Miyako Island

Almost all diving trips from Miyako Island are by boat, and since most dive sites are 20 to 60 minutes away from the port, you'll often spend the whole day on the boat. If you're prone to seasickness, it's a good idea to take motion sickness medication.

Diving in Miyako Island is incredibly appealing, and its greatest draw is undoubtedly the abundance of unique geological formations created by the coral reefs.
It is rare in the world to be able to experience such a variety of topographical features, which cannot be found on land, all within such a small area, including the "Toriike" pond that connects from the bottom of the sea to the lake, and the "Antonio Gaudí" underwater cave with its four openings.
As the water temperatures below indicate, the mild climate, allowing you to wear a 5mm wetsuit for most of the season, is also a major attraction.

2. Five secrets to choosing a shop that will never disappoint

To fully enjoy diving, half of it depends on luck—the encounter with fish and the weather.
And the other half depends on the diving shop's information resources and policies, as well as the instructor's skills.

As for luck, there's nothing you can do but improve your daily conduct (a sore spot...), but you can choose a good diving shop by gathering information beforehand!

But there are many diving shops.
For those of you wondering how to choose, I'll share five secrets that guarantee you won't go wrong!

2. The class size is small.

The first secret is to know the maximum number of participants the shop can accommodate.
While there are strict regulations regarding the number of participants for introductory dives and diving schools, there are actually no such standards for recreational dives.

Therefore, some shops offer tours for groups of around 10 people.
To receive proper support, a group size of around six people per instructor is ideal.

2. The levels are clearly divided.

When advanced and beginner divers dive at the same time, you can imagine a scenario where the advanced divers are kept waiting, while the beginners become impatient.
It might be best to avoid places with few guides or where it's unclear from their website whether the courses are categorized by level.

Furthermore, if they have two or more diving boats, they can take you to dive sites that match your skill level, so you can rest assured.

2-3. The tour price should be clearly stated.

It goes without saying, but you should avoid businesses that don't have a website or have vague descriptions like "from XX yen."
Although it has decreased in recent years, unfortunately, there are still cases where people have been charged unnecessarily high rental fees, photo fees, and other miscellaneous charges.

2-4. Have insurance and other provisions in place for emergency situations.

Diving is considered an extremely safe sport with an accident rate of only 0.01%, but it's also true that once an accident does occur, it can easily lead to a serious incident.
Because of the nature of diving, insurance coverage and emergency procedures are crucial.
Make sure to check the following: Is the insurance coverage clearly stated? How much experience does the instructor have? Is an AED available in case of emergency?

2-5. The shop's style matches your own style.

Finally, there's "style." This style can be broadly categorized into four patterns.
① The "hardcore" style: Enjoying the depth and number of runs to the fullest.
② Leisure-type activities that can be enjoyed at a leisurely pace, including by beginners.
③ A "normal" type that sits somewhere between hardcore and leisure.
④ Small-scale shops that can build close, family-friendly relationships tailored to individual needs.

It's a good idea to search online or through word-of-mouth to find a shop that suits your style and purpose.

3. A thorough comparison of 15 popular shops in Miyako Island.

Even if you say that, there are so many shops, it's hard to compare them all!
For those of you looking for such a place, we've compiled a simple comparison chart of 15 popular shops in Miyako Island. Please use it as a reference.
*The price is for two boat dives.

	shop's name	Price	Guest	Guide	Style	A word
1	Emina Marine	13500	5	2	at home	Popular shops with daily departures
2	Central Marine Club	13000	6	3	normal	Full support system
3	MARL Promotion	13000	6	2	at home	27 years of history and a large ship
4	Marea Miyakojima	15000	7 people	9	Pounding	If you're going to go all out
5	SUNISLAND	13900	6	3	normal	Popular support
6	BIG HOLIDAY	12500	5	3	normal	Camera rental is free.
7	BLUE SPACE	12500	6	2	normal	Cheap accommodation available
8	Aqua Star	13500	6	2	at home	Up to 4 pieces possible
9	OPENGATE	12500	8	3	normal	If price is your priority
10	Islander Depot	13000	4	2	at home	Large ships exceeding their size
11	GUIDE-YA-SAN	13500	6	2	at home	Camera rental is free.
12	Professor Karakara's Diving	12000	5	5	normal	History of 15 years
13	Anemonefish Crab	13000	4	2	at home	English OK
14	KANCHI	12000	4	2	at home	Boat capacity: up to 8 people
15	Seamar Diving Club	13000	6	3	at home	Cheerful staff

4. Diving spots in Miyako Island that you should know about

Miyako Island boasts over 100 diving spots, but here we'll briefly introduce 23 of the most representative ones.
Please use this as a reference when making requests to shops.

DO NOT	Area	Point Name	Maximum water depth	Itinerary	Highlights
1	Shimoji Island and Irabu Island	Double arch	18m	Sometimes	terrain
2		Cross Hall	20m	Sometimes	terrain
3		Panata	35m	Sometimes strong	school of fish
4		L-shaped arch	35m	Sometimes strong	terrain
5		Antonio Gaudi	33m	Almost none	terrain
6		Toriike Pond	45m	Sometimes strong	terrain
7		Snake Hole	23m	Sometimes	wide
8		Tsunami Drop	30m	Sometimes	big game
9		Maou no Kyuden	27m	Sometimes strong	terrain
10		Marine Lake	22m	Almost none	terrain
11		Mini Toriike	30m	Sometimes	terrain
12		Shiratori Cape	35m	Almost none	Terrain/Juvenile fish
13		Ichinose Hall	20m	Sometimes	terrain
14		Nakanoshima Channel	22m	Almost none	terrain/fish
15		Rock Beauty	13m	Sometimes strong	Sand
16	八重干瀬	Kijakaja Paradise	30m	Almost none	Coral
17		Hanadai Arch	33m	Almost none	terrain
18		Agaragausa	10m	Almost none	Coral
19		Yaebise Kindergarten	14m	Almost none	juvenile fish
20	South Coast / East Coast	Coral Garden	8m	Sometimes	Coral
21		Panari to Panari	28m	strong	big game
22		Nanamata arch	16m	Almost none	terrain
23		Panari Reef	18m	Absent	Coral

5. Instructor's Recommended Diving Spots

To help you discover even more of the charm of diving in Miyako Island, we asked instructors from popular dive shops to recommend their top spots.

5-1. Cross Hole

Shop name:Emina Marine
Instructor name: Masanori Matsuura (Nickname: Mattsun)
Diver experience: 12 years

In short: "Among the spots around Irabu Island, this is a particularly popular spot where the light shines beautifully."
The name comes from the two crooked openings in the ceiling that cross each other, and the dazzling, fantastical light that streams through these two cracks in summer is sure to leave you breathless.

5-2. Ichinose Hall

Shop name:Central Marine Club
Instructor name: Midori
Diver experience: 8 years

In short: "This spot is located on Shimoji Island and is easily accessible during the winter. However, it's a difficult place to go unless the wind and sea conditions are just right!"
Above all, it's a massive, dynamic hole that forms the entire bay!
You can experience a mystical world that soothes the soul, with light pillars falling from the ceiling and the Miyako Blue ocean water pouring in from the open sea.
If the timing is right, you might even be able to see a Milky Way of golden cardinalfish inside the hall... I think it's safe to say it's the best in Miyako!

5-3. Panata

Shop name:MARL Promotion
Instructor name: Takeshi Kawamoto
Diver experience: 27 years

In short: "Of course there are giant trevally and dogtooth tuna, but the schools of hundreds to thousands of trevally that have been living here for a long time are truly spectacular!"
Sometimes you can even spot sea turtles and manta rays. This is the place to go if you're looking for big game. Miyako Island is more than just a place with great topography.

5-4. Nakanoshima Channel

Shop name:Marea Miyakojima
Instructor names: Takechanman, Takeshi, Chantake, TCM
Diver experience: 6 years

In short: "When the weather is nice, the light filtering through the gaps in the rocks shimmers and looks absolutely beautiful. It's shallow, so even beginners can enjoy it safely, making it accessible to a wide range of divers."
The topography is certainly interesting, but you can also enjoy observing the wildlife, from macro creatures to large animals like turtles.

Finally

Even just seeing a few spots gives you a sense of how wonderful it is! There are still many more beautiful spots like this on Miyako Island.
Finally, I have just two requests.

Diving can create wonderful memories, but it can also be dangerous if you're not careful.
Always follow the instructor's instructions.

Furthermore, the beautiful ocean of Miyako Island can be passed on to future generations if divers follow the rules and manners.
Please be sure to follow the rule: "Capture only photos, preserve only memories."

So, I hope you find a great diving shop and have an amazing, extraordinary experience in Miyako Island!

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